One storm, many moments...

SouthCoast residents hunkered down in their homes Friday night as the wind howled outside, then emerged to broken tree limbs and drifts of snow. They dug out and helped others or sought assistance themselves. Here are a few of their small stories:

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Posted Feb. 10, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Feb 10, 2013 at 6:37 AM

Posted Feb. 10, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Feb 10, 2013 at 6:37 AM

» Social News

SouthCoast residents hunkered down in their homes Friday night as the wind howled outside, then emerged to broken tree limbs and drifts of snow. They dug out and helped others or sought assistance themselves. Here are a few of their small stories:

New Bedford's Fire Department did an estimated 50 ambulance runs during the storm, according to Fire Chief Michael Gomes.

The chief said the runs, which were from noon Friday until 8 a.m. Saturday, are 'high" for the department. The Fire Department serves as a backup for New Bedford EMS, which is the city's principal ambulance provider.

A number of times the Fire Department's three ambulances became stuck in the heavy snow and had to be pulled out by fire trucks, he said.

"A run that normally takes one hour took two hours," he said.

In some cases, he said, Fire Department vehicles, like one of its SUV's, were used to transport patients to the hospital. "You have to accomplish the mission," he said.

City Council President Bruce Duarte Jr. accompanied a city worker Friday night as he plowed some of the side streets.

The snow might have gotten ahead of the city's crews, but not for lack of trying, he said.

"We would do one street ... And then we'd come back half-an-hour later and it was full again. That's how fast the snow was falling yesterday. It was amazing," he said.

As of early Saturday afternoon, NStar was reporting nearly 20 percent of New Bedford customers affected by the storm.

In the North End, Kaysha Sanchez lost power — and heat — around 7:30 p.m and hunkered down for a cold night.

"We had three fleece blankets, two comforters ... We hung up curtains so we could seclude one area," she said.

As Frank Ferrera, 68, shoveled out his home on Rounds Street Saturday morning, he recalled the Blizzard of '78 for some perspective.

"This is nothing, he said. "I had a three-decker tenement ... It looked like a three-story igloo."

The parking lot of Advance Auto Parts in the South End was bustling with people digging out their cars that were left there during a parking ban.

Nathan Davison said he had already shoveled out four cars and two addresses before 2 p.m. on Saturday.

"I broke two shovels, and my gloves are for little girls," he said. "The snow isn't too heavy, but after a few inches it turns to ice and it cracked the shovels."

He said digging out his daughter-in-law's car in the lot wasn't as bad as digging out his own, which was parked on the street and was covered in snow by plows.

Javon Brown had similar bad luck trying to dig out his car — he had accidentally locked his shovel in the trunk and couldn't find the key.

"Good thing I have my ice scraper," he said.

In Dartmouth, where 70 percent of NStar customers were without power as of 4 p.m., Rep. Christopher Markey said his family had been without power since 4 a.m., and he is concerned that residents will have to go multiple days without power.

At a briefing, NStar indicated they would send reinforcements to Bristol County, he said.

"I just want to make sure that NStar is following through," he said.

Eddie Teves, 30, of Dartmouth, who was buying an electric heater at CVS Saturday afternoon, said he is planning to stick out the storm at his house.

"I just want to try to get some more heat in there," he said.

The fury of the Blizzard of 2013 behind them, several Fairhaven residents ventured out of their homes Saturday afternoon to enjoy the wintry scenery.

They could be seen walking around in the area of Millicent Library, staring up at snow-covered tree limbs and looking at what Mother Nature brought.

Where do you go, if you don't have power and don't want to stay in a cold house?

You would be hard-pressed to find a room at a local hotel.

The hotels in Dartmouth were at full occupancy, and the Fairfield Inn and Suites in New Bedford expected a sell-out.

Tom Bobrowiecki and other family members were clearing his mother's driveway on Slocum Road, Dartmouth, on Saturday.

They had a crew of three adults and two teens to do the job. "This is three hours now," said Bobrowiecki, with still more to be done before they were finished.

They were upset that two trees with sentimental value on the property were toppled by the storm's strong winds.

"We have pictures of us as kids, prom photos, with the trees in the background," Bobrowiecki said.